PASADENA >> With only a couple days left before the Rose Parade, float designers are putting the petals to the metal, and the wood, and the Styrofoam.

Actually, designers have to put flowers on every exposed surface before their floats can appear in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade. Thousands of volunteers help by putting the petals on by hand.

On Monday, workshops from Irwindale to Pasadena were filled with volunteers from close to home and throughout the world.

At the Rosemont Pavilion for Phoenix Decorating Company, hundreds of Kiwanis International volunteers, mostly students, worked on several floats including the Honda banner float, the Donate Life float and even Kiwanis’ float entry, “100 Years of Inspiring Children.”

“It’s part of the Kiwanis’ mission. You feel you’ve got an obligation to give back,” said 69-year-old Karl Dash, Lt. Governor of Kiwanis Cypress who came with about 45 students to volunteer.

It was a long day for Ashley Alba of Cypress High School.

“I took off petals, off flowers, had to sort lima beans, then placed roses in vials,” said the 18-year-old. “It’s okay, it’s worth it.”

She’ll be looking out for her work on the floats as she watches from home.

Linda Delange of Texas will watch her work up close, as she has for many years standing towards the end of the parade route.

The former Moorpark resident has been volunteering time to decorate the floats for 16 years.

“The very first time I volunteered, I was impressed with how much work it takes,” said the 57-year-old.

Delange was joined by family friend Anjuli Dhillon of Simi Valley as they just completed a squash that will be the end of Trader Joe’s float.

“This has been my favorite part,” said 33-year-old Dhillon of the squash they decorated with ground peas and ground carnations.

“It’s nice to see young kids spend their time to do this,” she said of the volunteers.

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